ANTIOCH — Hazardous materials teams on Tuesday were cleaning residue from a mercury spill discovered the day before, and authorities said residents were safe despite two other spills in the area over the past three months.

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Crews continued to use a mercury vapor detector to monitor the air and were planning to do so through the afternoon after cleaning up eight areas contaminated by the toxic silvery liquid overnight, Contra Costa County hazardous materials specialist Seth Heller said. They opened a stretch of Manzanita Way between Sycamore Drive and Mahogany Way around 3 a.m. Tuesday.

It had been closed since 11 a.m. Monday, after someone contacted the county about the spill and officials found it in more than one location in the 2200 block of Manzanita Way. Health officials believe that it may have spilled during the collection of a garbage can left out in the street.

“We don’t know specifically yet, and it’s being investigated,” Contra Costa Health Services spokeswoman Victoria Balladares said. “But it looks like a possibility, especially since when you consider this is the third time since December that we’ve been called out there.”

Officials did not say specifically how much mercury was cleaned. Heller said hazardous materials teams did not see it tracked into neighborhood homes.

“We put monitors on all the sidewalks and walkways into the homes,” Heller said. “I’m pretty confident we got it early, because it wasn’t tracked into the homes we scanned. We also monitored quite a few sets of shoes last night, and nothing harmful turned up there, either.”

Officials did not order a shelter-in-place during the clean-up, and none was in place Tuesday. Investigators examined the garbage truck that went through the area and deemed it safe, Heller said.

“We also did decontaminate a few people who were exposed to it,” he said.

Mercury in higher-than-normal levels is most dangerous to babies and the elderly, and its effects are most dangerous over a long-term exposure, Heller said. Investigators do not believe there has been long-term exposure in this case, he said, despite the recent calls.

Crews were called to the 2200 block of Mandarin Way on Jan. 22 and to the 2300 block of Mandarin Way on Dec. 22.

“If someone does have mercury and comes across it, they need to call the Hazardous Materials department,” Balladaras said. “They will dispose it.”

It is unlawful to throw away mercury in the trash. To dispose of hazardous substances, Contra Costa County residents can call 925-335-3200.